- 1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles
Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles
caption=
country=Confederate States of America
allegiance=CSA
type=Mounted Infantry
branch=Volunteer Army,American Civil War
dates=June 18, 1861–April 26 ,1865
specialization=
command_structure=
size=
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
nickname=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=American Civil War Battle of Wilson's Creek Battle of Pea Ridge Battle of Richmond Battle of Perryville Battle of Murfreesboro Battle of Chickamauga Battle of Chattanooga Siege of Vicksburg Battle of Franklin
notable_commanders=ColonelThomas J. Churchill
GeneralKirby Smith
anniversaries=1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles (
1861 -1865 ) was aConfederate Army cavalry regiment during theAmerican Civil War . Of theArkansas Confederate units formed during the war, only the3rd Arkansas saw more combat action than the 1st Mounted Rifles.At the outbreak of the Civil War, Arkansas formed some 48 infantry regiments, and a number of cavalry units. With the exception of the 3rd Arkansas, all of the Arkansas units would sign one year enlistments, thus leading to assignments in what was referred to as the "western theater", due to most of the large scale battles being fought in the east. The 1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles would sign one year enlistments, then later would sign a "three year or the duration of the war" extension.
First organized in
Little Rock, Arkansas on June 16th, 1861, the regiment was initially commanded byColonel Thomas J. Churchill . The regiment was first attached toGeneral Benjamin McCulloch 'sBrigade . By August, they were on the move towardSpringfield, Missouri , where they first saw action in theBattle of Wilson's Creek . Following that battle, the regiment was dispatched toIndian Territory to battle the Native American pro-UnionCherokee soldiers. They served in that capacity from September through October 1861. They were then sent toCorinth, Mississippi , where they joined with massing Confederate forces.On
March 6th , 1862, the regiment was engaged during theBattle of Pea Ridge , then again during theBattle of Richmond . They were dismounted in the spring of 1862, and fought the remainder of the war as infantry. Following Colonel Churchill's promotion toMajor General , the regiment was placed under the command of GeneralKirby Smith . Following this they saw action nearRichmond, Kentucky , then again in October 1862 when they fought at theBattle of Perryville . They were then merged as part of theArmy of Tennessee under GeneralBraxton Bragg . Shortly thereafter, they fought in theBattle of Murfreesboro , then were sent south to help relieve Confederate forces during theSiege of Vicksburg . They would remain a part of the Army of Tennessee for the remainder of the war, seeing action during theBattle of Chickamauga and theBattle of Chattanooga , with their last major action being during the Battle of Franklin. They were present when General Bragg surrendered onApril 26th , 1865, inDurham Station, North Carolina .References
* [http://www.larkcom.us/ancestry/civilwar/cw_cs_1st_arkansas_mounted_rifles.cfm 1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles]
* [http://www.civilwararchive.com/Confedreg/confedar.htm Arkansas Confederate Army Regiments]
* [http://www.robert-ford.ws/1st%20AR%20Rifles.htm 1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles, "Boys of Company H"]
* [http://www.nps.gov/archive/vick/ar/ar1rif.html 1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles Dismounted]
* [http://www.tarleton.edu/~kjones/CSar-fl.html Confederate Regimental Histories]
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